Holidaymakers out of pocket after Mullingar company ceases trading

A Mullingar tourist company has shut its doors leaving holidaymakers out of pocket - and many of them still do not know.

Exploring Vacations takes upfront payments for arranging trips abroad but has ceased trading as of yesterday.

Noreen Sweetman, who owns Kilcatten Lodge in Cork, has taken bookings from them since around 2013.

She has lodgers currently who are not aware they will have to pay again because she has not received the original sum from the agency.

Speaking to Midlands 103, Ms Sweetman said: "Now the guests that are with me are not aware that the company is gone and that they actually have all their other accommodation also booked with Exploring Vacations.

"They are going on to Killarney and on to Galway and back to Dublin and as far as they are aware their accommodation has all been paid for and sorted.

"Unfortunately, I have to tell them this evening when they come back from their day that that is not the case.

"They are going to have to pay as they are going along now.

"The guests that are here will probably have to settle up with me. I don't know, I will have to talk to them when they get here.

If tariffs are introduced on Irish beef exports into the UK, as has been suggested by the UK’s Environment Secretary Michael Gove, then meat plants here will close and there will be job losses is the warning from the director of Meat Industry Ireland.